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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

With the Rothesay Regional Police warning about a black bear near the Kallars Hill area this morning, the Department of Natural Resources wants to remind the public about some simple ways to keep bears away from your home, especially if you live off the beaten path. Ann Bull of the Department of Natural Resources tells CHSJ News bears are interesting to look at, but don't make the mistake of feeding them.

Bird feeders with suet should be removed from outdoors around this time of year. As well, you can rinse out your garbage bins with baking soda to make sure the smells don't attract unwanted creatures. Spring and early summer are the most common times of year for black bear sightings in New Brunswick.

Previous councils have been ineffective in fixing the city's water, according to one Ward 3 candidate.

Brian Boyd tells CHSJ News that getting clean drinking water in Saint John process that needs to keep moving forward. Boyd says at this time, the city has few options other than the P3 model, but he hopes they will keep an open mind and not just jump on a bandwagon.Other issues that top his list of priorities is coming up with a plan to fix derelict buildings, attracting businesses and transit. Boyd tells us he wants both the city and citizens to have a sense of pride towards Saint John and get involved in making the city a better place to live. Voters go to the polls on May 13th.

The husband of missing West side woman, Yeonhee Choi, is offering $50,000 for any information that could help locate her.Choi has been missing since last Monday. A search and rescue crew is is expected to join in the search today. Sgt. Jay Henderson says they'll be expanding their search from the area around her home on Prince Street, to a wooded area near the Reversing Falls.

Choi is Korean, 5'4" tall with short dark hair and pierced ears.She
was last seen wearing a black or brown leather jacket, black tights,
black boots, a dark or black knit style sweater and may be carrying a
black knapsack.

If you have any info call 648-3333 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

If some some scenes in Hunter Hayes' brand new music video for "I Want Crazy" look familiar, it's not just your imagination.

Hayes shot the video right here in Saint John, New Brunswick while in town for his recent sold-out show with Carrie Underwood. Keith Brideau of Historica Developments tells CHSJ News Hayes used locations ranging from the roof of Magnolia/Bourbon Quarter, to Princess Street in front of Hayward and Warwick, the Saint John Airport and more.In the video, Hayes plays a young man in a long-distance relationship who surprises his girlfriend in a different city and takes her on a whirlwind getaway of fun activities. It opens with the couple standing on the balcony of Mahogany Manor on Germain Street.

Local production company Hemmings House also helped shoot the video. You can play "spot the Saint John landmarks" as you watch the video here

At this point, Saint Johners are aware of the late Saint John Police Officer Ken Estabrooks, who was convicted on four counts of indecent assault back in 1999 and served jail time before his death in 2005.

Although Estabrooks has passed away, the investigation into the alleged abuses is continuing. Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News common council has committed an additional $100,000 toward the investigation by ISN on top of the $100,000 this council originally committed. Norton says he hopes the investigation will wrap up by the end of this year.While the Mayor made it clear he is not able disclose the details of the investigation, he would say this council is making it a priority to try and right the wrongs done in the past.

Point Lepreau began sending energy to the grid on Monday with the reactor currently at 35 per cent power.

In a release, NB Power says fuelling will resume in the coming week.

President Gaetan Thomas says the issues they have been managing in their first five months of operation are normal with a restart following a refurbishment.Thomas says NB Power customers can be assured that the period of low production at Lepreau does not diminish the total lifetime output expected from the plant.

A proposed 3 per cent tourism levy on campgrounds is not going over well with the campground owners who are unanimously opposed.

The money collected would be earmarked to promote tourism. Howard Heans has operated the campground at Harding's Point for years and tells CHSJ News the campgrounds advertise on their own websites.

Heans points out this levy would increase the tax rate at campgrounds in the province to 16 per cent compared to only 5 per cent in Maine and he fears campers will migrate to Maine in droves as a result.Heans argues the camping business in the province is flat right now or may even be dropping and now is not the time to increase the tax burden.

Common Council approving the expenditure of another 100 thousand dollars to further investigate sexual assault allegations against a now deceased former police officer and city worker, Kenneth Estabrooks who was convicted in 1999 and served time in prison.The search for more victims is being carried out by private investigators from Toronto.